Mardy Fish and Joe Pavelski, the two favorites entering the 37th annual American Century Championship, are in first and second place heading into Sunday’s final round of the celebrity golf tournament at Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course.
“I’m giving Joe a taste of his own medicine,” said Fish after the round.
Hot on their heels is arguably the greatest golfer in LPGA Tour history, Annika Sorenstam.
Fish, the former ATP tennis player and U.S. Davis Cup captain, eagled the par-5 18th hole Saturday to tack on 6 points and wrest the lead from Pavelski and Sorenstam with 52 points. On Friday, Pavelski did the same thing to jump ahead.
Pavelski, who retired from the NHL last year and then won his first ACC title, is alone in second with 48 points, followed by Sorenstam (47) and Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (41).
Fish is a two-time winner here (2020, 2024). Curry got his first title in 2023. And Sorenstam, who counts 72 LPGA Tour victories, including 10 majors, is looking for her first.
Fish managed just one birdie through his first 15 holes but finished his round birdie, par, eagle for 10 points. His 25 points in the second round, matched by Sorenstam, was the best of the day. And they also had the best score to par, 2-under 70.
“The defense out here is the greens. They’re tough to read,” said Fish, who was in second place, 2 points behind Pavelski after Friday’s first round. “They’re tough to make putts on. I made a lot more putts yesterday than I did today. But I was steady and just kind of kept sort of grinding and making pars. Made two bogeys that you kind of want back, but it happens. And you move forward.
“I don’t make a ton of eagles usually out here. And obviously six points on one hole is pretty big.”
Pavelski had the first-round lead (29 points) after a 3-under 69 on Friday. On Saturday, he had four birdies, four bogeys and one double bogey for a 74 and 19 points.
“It was close to being decent, and it was close to being not very good at all,” Pavelski said. “So, I kind of grinded it out and kept ‑‑ stayed within striking distance.”
Sorenstam is looking to add her name to the list of winners here and become the first female winner. She is competing in her seventh ACC and has four top-five finishes. She had an eagle and no birdies on Friday, but had five birdies in round two.
“I’ve got to keep putting the way I was putting today,” said Sorenstam, who owns a home in nearby Incline Village. “I mean that’s really the key — and be able to put some pressure on (Fish and Pavelski).
“I’m not going to let my foot off the pedal. But I’ve got to go low.”
Sunday’s final round of the American Century Championship airs live on NBC from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
LEADERBOARD (points)
See the full Saturday results here. Go here for Sunday tee times.
